BRAISED LEEKS
WITH THYME AND LEMON ZEST
Leeks are the archetypal wingman. They disappear into
stews and soups and gently flavor sautéed vegetables.
They melt into sauces and hide out in stir-fries. I mean,
they even play second fiddle to potatoes, for god’s sake—
that’s potato-leek soup, not leek-potato soup.
Well, Mr. Leek, today, opportunity knocks.
When braised, leeks retain their subtle aroma but
acquire a completely tender, almost meaty texture as they
slowly break down and absorb liquid. To heighten their
sweetness a bit, it’s best to caramelize the cut surfaces of
the split leeks in hot oil before adding the liquid. Why the
cut surface? Because it’s easier to lay them flat that way.
Even though only the edges will acquire any color,
everything’s cool—those wonderful browned compounds
are water-soluble, which means that after you add your
liquid, many of them will dissolve and spread throughout
the dish.
You can use any type of liquid you’d like, but I like to
use chicken stock, with a few nuggets of good butter. The
butter keeps things lubricated while the leeks cook, and it
will add richness to the sauce the leeks and stock form as
they slowly braise in the oven.
NOTE: For best results, look for leeks about 1 inch in
diameter.